Frame for tile-making machines.



F. S. HARTWELL & L. G. SEARS. FRAME FOR TILE MAKING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED nuzo, 1912.

1,107,940, Patented Aug. 18,1914.

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THE AORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTOiITHO" WASHINGTON. D, C

P. S. HARTWELL & L. C. SEARS. FRAME FOR TILE MAKING MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 20, 1912.

1,107,940, Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

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UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE.

FLOYD S. HARTWELL AND LEONARD G. SEARS, OF ONAWA, IOWA, ASSIGNORS T0 MON- ARCH MANUFACTURING CORPORATION, OF ONAWA, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOWA.

FRAME FOR TILE-MAKING- MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 18, 1914.

Application filed May 20, 1912. Serial No. 698,577.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, FLOYD S. HARTWELL and LEONARD C. SEARS, citizens of theUnited States, residing at Onawa, 1n the county of 618, granted August 9.7, 1912, matured. Tile machines of the type above identified include a vertical shaft which carries the forming or packing head, and which has both reciprocatory and rotary movements, a horizontal shaft to which the power for operation is applied, and connections between the horizontal shaft and the vertical shaft to produce the reciprocatory and ro-' tary movements of the latter. As ordinarily practised, the shafts referred to, and their appurtenant driving mechanism and operating connections, are supported by a frame which comprises a relatively large and heavy superstructure and involves a large number of structural iron parts secured together by a proportionate number of bolt and screw connections. These machines require relatively considerable power for operation, especially in the case of tiles of larger size, owing to the resistance which is opposed to the action of the forming head and to the number and nature of the mechanical con nections employed. Furthermore, the reversal of the forming head and the reciprocations of the cement hopper, together with other conditions found in practice and not necessary to detail, produce rapidly succeeding shocks of considerable intensity,.which aretransmitted to and distributed through the frame of the machine. The result is that after a comparatively short period of use, the bolt connections work loose or become worn, and the rigidity of the superstruo.

ture is correspondingly afiected; wherefore it is the case that the alinement of the working parts soon becomes out of true and the ultimate effect is that the forming head does not have a true axially straight movement, but becomes wabbly in its movement and so does not produce a good tile of uniform thickness and true cylindrical contour.

The object of the present invention is to avoid the objections stated, and in accomplishing this object, the invention proposes a frame construction of very light and simple nature which may be supported on a pedestal and which is absolutely rigid throughout its extent, involving as it does no bolted connecting parts, struts, braces, or the like. The improved frame construction, although relatively small, furnishes a much more satisfactory and adequate support for the operating parts than the frame construction ordinarily employed; and at the same time provides for ready and quick access to the operating parts for the purposes of renewal or repairs.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 shows the improved frame construction in its application to the operating parts of the machine; Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the frame construction, with bearing parts removed to show the open bearing members which are rigid and integral parts of the frame; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

With the exception of the frame, none of the elements of the machine form the subject of the present application, since they are shown and claimed in our patent referred to. For this reason, these elements are shown only in a general manner in this application, and will be referred to only in a general way.

The forming head is provided at the lower end of a vertical shaft 1, which is r0- tary and axially reciprocatory. The forming head (which does not appeari'n the drawings) passes operatively through a tile jacket 2, which rests upon a supporting pallet 3. The cement is introduced into the tile jacket through a hopper 4:, which comes to rest in an operative position on a bracket 5,

I and is raised and lowered at intervals, its

shaft 1, and the other of which is located at' the forward end of the shaft 6; and the connections for transmitting reciprocatory movement to the shaft 1 comprise a worm S, mounted on the shaft 6, a worm wheel 9, mounted on a transverse shaft 10, an oscillatory beam 11 suitably connected at its forward end to the shaft 1 and supported by a radius link 12, and a link 13 which causes the throw of the beam 11 and is connected. to a crank arm Lt on the shaft 10.

The parts referred to and others of ancillary nature are supported, and permanently and securely maintained in operative relation, by a frame indicated generally at 15, and shown in detail in Fig. 2. The frame 15 is of skeleton construction and is integral throughout its extent, all of its disposed at the front of the frame, extending vertically and preferably facing forwardly and comprise a pair, and the bearing meinbers 17 are disposed at intervals throughout the length of the frame, extending horizontally and facing laterally and to the same side of the frame. The complete bearings for the shafts 1 and 6 comprise the members 16 and 17 referred to, and bearing caps 18, which are positioned over said shafts and are suitably secured to the respective hearing members. To dismantle the machine as to either or both of the shafts 1 and 6, all that is required is to remove the bearing caps which fit over the shaft or shafts and thereupon the shafts may be taken from position. A similar mode of construction and assemblage is followed as to the shaft 10, the latter being fitted in a pair of alined bearing members 19, which, as shown, are integral with the upper bar of the frame and face upwardly. -Bearings for the shaft 10 are completed by hearing caps 20, which are similar in all respects to the cap 18.

of the user.

That portion of th upper bar of the frame upon which the bearing members 19 are formed is itself fashioned as a frame, as at 21, and the bearing members 19 are formed on the respective side bars of the frame portion 21, the worm wheel 9 being disposed between said side bars.

By preference, the bearing members 17 are formed centrally of vertical brace 22, which are integral parts of the frame and extend from the upper to the lower bar thereof. In the construction shown, wherein four of these braces are employed, the intermediate braces converge above the hearing members 17, and meet at one of the hearing members 19, being suitably cut away to accommodate the wheel '9. This arrangement adds greatly to the strength and rigidity of the frame, as is obvious.

Power may be transmitted to the shaft 6 from a belt wheel 23 which is loose on said shaft and may be put in operative relation by a clutch 2 1, or from either of two pinions 25 or 26, the pinion 25 providing for a relatively slow operation of the machine, as when a large tile is to be formed, and the pinion 26 providing for a relatively rapid operation of the machine, as when tiles of smaller diameters are to be formed.

The lower bar of the frame is preferably bulged and tubular throughout the major and central portion of its extent, in the interest of strength and rigidity, and in the embodiment shown, carries at an approximately central point a horizontally disposed annular flange 27, by whichth'e frame may be secured to a supporting pedestal 28. Other means of associating the frame and the pedestal 28 can be employed, in accordance with conditions of work or the choice The use of the pedestal 28 as a support for the frame 15 has a very substantial advantage in that it eliminates any cumbersome, expensive, and loose superstructure, and the capacity of the frame for this mode of support'is regarded as a feature of considerable importance. It will be observed that the construction of the frame with all of its parts in substantially the same vertical plane, coupled with the capacity of the frame for the disposition shown of the operating parts of the machine, causes substantially all the stresses, and certainly all of the most destructive or racking stresses to be exercised in the plane of the frame. The frame may thus be accurately balanced and may be supported securely and immovably upon the pedestal 28, while at the same time, counter-stresses are eliminated, and such stresses as are developed are efficiently resisted, owing to the rigid and integral nature of the frame. The pedestal itself may be used as a support for the bracket 5 and the pallet 8, said bracket and said pallet being jointed to, or forming a part of bracket rec sleeves 29, which surround the pedestal 28, and may be supported at any desired position thereon. 7

Having fully described our invention, we claim:

As a machine element, a skeleton generally rectangular supporting frame integral throughout its extent and having all the parts thereof disposed in the same vertical plane, the frame including upper and lower longitudinal bars and a plurality of vertical bars connecting said upper and lower bars, the vertical bars having as integral parts thereof alining open bearing members for a i horizontal shaft, which bearing members face toward one side of the machine, the frame also having at its forward end as integral part thereof forwardly facing open bearing members for a vertical shaft, the

upper bar being formed to provide a frame for a gear wheel and having approximately centrally located open bearing members for the shaft of said gear wheel and the lower bar having on its underside an approximately centrally located horizontal attachment flange, the spaces between certain of said vertical bars serving to accommodate certain gear elements which are mounted on said horizontal shaft, including a gear element which drives said gear wheel.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FLOYD S. HARTWELL. LEONARD C. SEARS. Witnesses:

C. C. HONEYMAN,

ROY W. PERRY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

